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Antulio Segarra
|death_date= |birth_place= Cayey, Puerto Rico |death_place=San Juan, Puerto Rico |placeofburial= Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamon, Puerto Rico |placeofburial_label= Place of burial |image=Antulio Segarra2x2.jpg |image_size=150 |caption='Colonel Antulio Segarra' First Puerto Rican to command a Regular Army Regiment |allegiance= United States of America |branch= United States Army Army National Guard |serviceyears=1927-1957 |rank= Colonel |commands=*65th Infantry Regiment *G4 South West Command in Japan |unit= |battles=World War II |awards=*Legion of Merit (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster) *Army Commendation Medal }} Colonel Antulio Segarra (January 20, 1906 - September 14, 1999), was a United States Army officer who in 1943 became the first Puerto Rican in history to command a Regular Army Regiment.Commands by Col, Villahermosa"El Mundo", April 1, 1954 (Puerto Rican newspaper which no longer in circulation) "Segarra fue condecorado con la Legion de Merito", pg.4, number 9967 Segarra served as Military Aide to the Military Governor of Puerto Rico Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. and during World War II commanded the 65th Infantry Regiment. Early years Segarra (birth name: Antulio Segarra Guiot ) was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico where he received his primary and secondary education. His father was Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Segarra, a highly decorated World War I veteran. In 1923, Segarra received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point from Horace Mann Towner (1855–1937), who served as Governor of Puerto Rico from 1923 to 1929. Military career Segarra graduated from West Point in 1927 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the infantry. He was assigned as company commander of the 10th Infantry Regiment, at Fort Knox in Kentucky. The Regiment was later redesignated as the 5th Infantry Division and Segarra served until October 31, 1929, when the regiment was inactivated. He was then assigned as Military Aide to the Military Governor of Puerto Rico Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (1887–1944) and served as such until 1931.Puerto Ricans graduates of West Point From 1931 to 1932, Segarra served with the 18th Infantry at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island, New York and with the Camp Dix Civilian Conservation Corps in Burlington County, New Jersey from 1932 to 1936. He continued his military education in the Command and General Staff College (C&GSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Segarra graduated from the C&GSC in 1942 and was assigned to the 296th Infantry Regiment of the Puerto Rican National Guard.Commands World War II On November 25, 1943, Segarra succeeded Colonel John R. Mendenhall and assumed the command of Puerto Rico's 65th Infantry Regiment which at the time was conducting security missions in the jungles of Panama. Thus, Segarra became the first Puerto Rican Regular Army officer to command a Regular Army Regiment.Former Commanding Officers On January 1944, the Regiment was embarked for Jackson Barracks in New Orleans and later sent to Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia in preparation for overseas deployment to North Africa. After they arrived at Casablanca, they underwent further training. By April 29, 1944, the Regiment had landed in Italy and moved on to Corsica. On June 21, 1944, Segarra was succeeded by Col. Paul G. Daly in the command of the 65th Infantry Regiment. Post World War II Segarra was assigned Camp Commander of Camp Stoneman in San Francisco, California. In 1950, upon the outbreak of the Korean War, Segarra was reassigned and served as troop commander of the men assigned to the 24th Infantry Division who were aboard the USS General E. T. Collins headed for further training in Japan.All Good Men: A Lieutenant's Memories of the Korean War By Robert F Hallahan, Pg. 13, Published 2003, iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-28018-8 Segarra served as Camp Commander at the G4 South West Command in Japan until 1951. He returned to Puerto Rico and served as Senior Advisor and Instructor to the Puerto Rico National Guard from 1952 to 1955. From 1955 to 1957, he served in the capacity of Inspector General of the Third United States Army and in the Requirements Section of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. Later years Segarra retired from the military in 1957 and as a civilian worked as Vice President for the 1st Federal Savings and Loan Association until 1981 when he retired. On September 14, 1999, Col. Antulio Segarra, died in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was survived by his wife, Evangelina Ledesma and two children Evangelinita and Antulio, Jr. He was buried September 16, with full military honors in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.Puerto Rico National Cemetery, Bayamón, Puerto Rico Awards and decorations Among Segarra's military awards and decorations are the following: Badges: * Combat Infantryman Badge Notes Further reading *M1 All Good Men: A Lieutenant's Memories of the Korean War By Robert F Hallahan, Pg. 13, Published 2003, iUniverse, ISBN 0-595-28018-8. See also *List of famous Puerto Ricans *List of Puerto Rican military personnel *Puerto Ricans in World War II *65th Infantry Regiment *French immigration to Puerto Rico References Category:1906 births Category:1999 deaths Category:People from Cayey, Puerto Rico Category:Puerto Rican military officers Category:Puerto Rican military personnel Category:Puerto Rican Army personnel Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:United States Army officers Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:American army personnel of World War II Category:Puerto Rican people of French descent Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni